You Can Always Come Back Home
by 73stargazer
Summary: Sequel to "Home Coming". Post- Nemesis. Beverly had returned to the Enterprise, still undergoing repairs at McKinley station. Wesley visits his mother and friends on the Enterprise.
1. Chapter 1

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to CBS, its parents and affiliates. Just taking the characters out for a jaunt around the galaxy, I warrant they will be returned in the same condition I borrowed them.

Note: So, "Home", was supposed to be a little one-off. Then, you asked for a sequel , which turned into "Home Coming". Due to overwhelming demand, I've written a follow-up. I'm glad you're enjoying. P.S: The timeline here may not gel completely with canon.

Part 1

Setting the PADD from which she had been reading flat against her stomach, Beverly rotates her head resting in Jean-Luc lap on the living room sofa to glance up at him. For his part, Jean-Luc is thoroughly engrossed with his own PADD as he sits upright, his back supported by a large accent pillow on the sofa.

"Hey, can I bother you?" Beverly asks gently, shifting up to look at him properly.

Reading glasses slipping down his nose, Jean-Luc diverts his attention from the PADD in his hands as Beverly moves to curl up beside him on the sofa, adjusting his legs. "Certainly."

"I spoke with Wes this morning," begins Beverly, curling up against Jean-Luc, tucking her feet beneath her.

Lifting a brow, Jean-Luc abandons his PADD on the table in front of them. "You didn't mention that at dinner."

"I know," exhales Beverly, covering his hand. "I was a little…hesitant."

"What's wrong?" Picard inquires in concern, placing Beverly's PADD next to his on the table.

"Nothing," Beverly assures him immediately. "It's just. He's coming to Earth to retrieve new crew for the _Titan_. Before he heads back, he has a few days leave. He's coming to visit, and I'm not…sure how we're going to do this."

Straightening, Jean-Luc observes Beverly's tentative expression. "You haven't told him of our relationship?"

"No," admits Beverly ruefully, squeezing his hand. "I'm sorry, Jean-Luc. There's never an appropriate time. I never speak to my son. When I do it's quick and chaotic. I couldn't tell him of our involvement over garbled subspace."

Pursing his lips, Jean-Luc bobs his understanding. "But, now Wesley is coming to visit you, and he doesn't know that you and I are together, and sharing quarters?"

Grimacing, Beverly nods, confirming his interpretation. "I'm sorry, Jean-Luc. I just thought it'd be better to explain in person. I haven't seen my son in ages."

Taking her hand in his, Jean-Luc squeezes it affectionately. "Of course. When is he coming?"

"Next week," relays Beverly, practically sighing in relief.

Resting his other hand on her knee, Jean-Luc bobs his head. "Would you like to arrange guest quarters or have him stay here with us?

Half-smiling, Beverly is utterly relieved that Jean-Luc isn't upset that she had not communicated their involvement to her son, and grateful that he is willing to welcome Wesley into his home. "It's okay with you if he stays here?"

"Of course," shrugs Jean-Luc easily. "Whatever you'd like."

Running her hand along his arm, Beverly smiles graciously. "I'd like for him to stay with us, if you don't mind. I never get to see him."

"By all means." agrees Jean-Luc, leaning in to rest his forehead against hers, their noses brushing.

"Thank you," breathes Beverly against his lips, pecking him tenderly.

Kissing her back, Jean-Luc strokes her cheek. Breaking off, his gaze searches hers. "It will be nice to see Wesley again."

"Yes," agrees Beverly, grinning widely as she pulls back slightly. "I'm excited."

"I'm sure Geordi and Worf will be glad to spend some time with him, too," remarks Jean-Luc. "Oh, and we're upgrading the deflector dish this weekend. Perhaps Wes would like to give us a hand?"

Smiling faintly, Beverly pats his hand. "Perhaps. Let's just give him a chance a relax first. He will have had a long journey, and this is his shore leave."

Bobbing his head, Picard communicates his acquiescence. "Very well. Well, it's up to him. He's welcomed to partake if he desires. I'm sure Geordi would appreciate the assistance. If not, we'll be glad to catch up with him after this lengthy absence."

"Thank you, Jean-Luc," replies Beverly graciously, leaning in to pepper a kiss to his lips. "I really appreciate this."

"It will be nice to have him home," notes Jean-Luc, taking her hand.

PAGE BREAK

Hands crossed behind her back, Beverly bounces on her toes as her son's image materializes on the transporter pad. Letting out the breath she had been holding, Beverly exhales a sigh of relief at seeing her son for the first time in what feels like eons. "Wesley!"

Finding his mother standing expectantly beside the transporter pad, Wesley smiles lightly. "Hi, Mom."

Leaping forward, Beverly practically tugs him off the pad, pulling him into a tight embrace. "Wes! Oh, it's so good to see you."

Stifled by his mother's arms around his back, Wesley laughs good-naturedly. "It's good to see you, too, Mom."

Loosening her grip slightly, Beverly scrutinizes his appearance. "You've lost weight. Are they not feeding you on the _Titan_? Should I speak to Captain Riker about your health?"

Rolling his eyes, Wes stifles his smirk. "I eat perfectly well, Mom."

Cupping his cheek, Beverly cannot help but stare at her son openly, beaming. "Well, you can have whatever you want on the _Enterprise_. I made you peanut butter cookies."

Eyes wide, Wes stares as Beverly laces her arm through his. "Mom, I'm thirty-one years-old. You don't need to make me cookies."

Leading him out of the transporter room, Beverly is almost dancing. "Does that mean you don't want them?"

"No, I want the cookies," answers Wes lowly, the door sliding closed behind them.

Chuckling, Beverly pats the arm linked through hers. "I thought you could go get unloaded and we could have a bite to eat. I figured you'd be hungry."

"Sure. Sounds good," replies Wes casually.

Walking through the corridor, Beverly tries to keep her tone nonchalant, although her heart is palpitating wildly. "Would you like to stay in or go to Ten Forward?"

"Oh…uh…"Shifting the case in his hands, Wes shrugs. "Doesn't matter. "

Entering the turbolift, Beverly ushers Wes inside. "Well, you can settle in and decide later."

"Okay," agrees Wes simply as the lift starts.

Beverly finally relinquishes her hold on her son, her hand shaking slightly. "You're okay staying with me? You don't want your own quarters?"

Shrugging, Wes looks at his mother openly. "Doesn't matter to me. I figured you'd want to spend some time together. I've only got four days here."

Smiling warmly, Beverly tries not to let the obvious discomfort show on her face. "I'm looking forward to spending the next days together."

"Is everything okay?" Studying her, Wes moves to the door as the lift pauses.

"Fine," replies Beverly dismissively, patting his shoulder before moving to exit the lift. "Come on."

Following his mother down the corridor, Wes exhales in resignation as he watches her stride purposefully down the hall. Something is different about her, and his mother is actually strange.

Coming to an abrupt halt outside her elected destination, Beverly rapidly enters the passcode on the lock of the cabin door and opens the cabin door.

Stopping behind his mother, Wes stares in bemusement as Beverly lets herself into the captain's cabin. "What's wrong? Why are you going in there?"

Waving him inside, Beverly's expression is earnest. "Come in. Let's talk."

"What's going on?" inquires Wes in bewilderment.

Ushering him inside the cabin, Beverly's heart races, her palms sweating. "Come sit down."

"Why are we here?" demands Wesley, his gaze rapidly scanning the room as the door slides closed behind them.

"Why don't you sit down?" suggests Beverly, gesturing to the sofa. "I'll make some tea." Truthfully, she needs something to do with her hands.

His gaze wanders from Beverly at the replicator around the room as Wesley meanders over to the sofa. Noticing the plants, a bouquet of roses in a vase on the coffee table, Wes' interest is piqued. He had never visited the captain's private quarters, but from what he knows of the man, it would be out of character for Captain Picard to decorate his residence with plants and live flowers. Lowering himself onto the sofa, Wesley blinks rapidly at the accent pillows on either end of the sofa, his suspicion aroused. He had never heard of Captain Picard to have an eye for interior decorating. Pillow in hand, Wes glances at the end table, noticing three holophotos displayed. Gasping, Wesley is shocked to discover his mother's smiling face in all three photos. In one, Beverly is cradling an infant Wesley. The second photo was captured on the bridge of the Enterprise D, shortly after Wesley was made an ensign. Picard and Beverly are standing on either side of Wesley, donning his red uniform, a massive grin on his youthful face. In the third holo, apparently taken recently, Picard has his arms wrapped around Beverly's shoulders and she holds his hand as they smile contently at the camera. Dressed to the nines, they're both out of uniform and apparently had been attending a formal function.

Eyes dilated, Wes whips around. "Mom?"


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2

Frowning, Beverly pads over to the sofa, two mugs in her hands. " Honey, I am so sorry."

"You live here?" confirms Wes, incredulous.

"Yes," confesses Beverly, placing the mugs on the coffee table.

"Wh…when?" stutters Wes, eying her in stunned disbelief. "Wh…How did…Why?"

Perching on the sofa next to her son, Beverly inhales deeply. "When I transferred back to the _Enterprise_ a month ago, I moved in with Jean-Luc. I wanted to tell you, but it didn't seem right to try to explain everything over subspace."

Shaking his head, Wesley absorbs all the new information, trying to decide where to start. The whole thing is entirely bizarre, but all he can focus on is how she seems to have made herself perfectly at home in the captain's cabin, as if it were truly her space and always had been. "Uh…Is that why you gave up the job at Medical?"

"Yes," admits Beverly honestly, searching her son's gaze. "For the most part. Jean-Luc came to Medical. We started seeing more of each other. It got serious very fast. I requested a transfer and there was some…resistance. Eventually, we secured a replacement and my transfer was approved. Now, I'm back in Sickbay."

Inhaling sharply, Wes tries to process her revelation. "I…I wish you had given me a head's up."

"I'm sorry," gushes Beverly, grasping his hand. "Sweetie, I wanted to tell you. It just didn't seem right."

Looking around the cabin, Wes exhales in resignation. "It looks like you're…happy?"

"I am," replies Beverly, her lips lifting into a warm smile.

"Well, then that's what matters, right?" shrugs Wesley, smiling awkwardly.

Laughing lightly, Beverly squeezes his hand. "After all this time, it's all that matters."

"Tell me….I don't know…."sighs Wesley, still somewhat surprised. "Why now?"

"We stopped making excuses, stopped hiding behind our fears," confesses Beverly, her expression pensive. "We finally took the chance."

Half-smiling, Wes nods. "Is he good to you?"

"Yes," chuckles Beverly, covering her lips with her fingers. After thirty-one years, the tables have turned and her adult son has grown protective of her. "Yes, he's so good. I've never been this happy, Wesley."

Smiling genuinely, Wes squeezes his mother's hand back. "I'm glad. I just want to see you happy."

Bringing her hand up, Beverly cups the side of his face, holding back the tears welling her in her eyes. "Thank you, honey."

PAGE BREAK

"When do you relaunch?" Wesley inquires from his spot in the arm chair in the living area as his mother hands him a mug of tea.

"Two weeks on Thursday," replies Picard, perching on the sofa. "We're nearly ready, just a few loose ends to tie up."

Beverly hands Jean-Luc a mug of tea, settling in on the sofa next to him.

"Mom mentioned you're working on the deflector dish now," remarks Wes, his attention on the captain.

"Just a couple upgrades," confirms Picard as Beverly curls up next to him. "Commander La Forge would appreciate a hand if you'd care to spend your shore leave kicking around Engineering?"

Rolling her eyes, Beverly playfully swats Jean-Luc's arm.

Chuckling lightly, Wesley bobs his head. "Of course, sir. I'm happy to help."

Sighing, Beverly sets her own mug of tea on the coffee table. "You know, Geordi, Worf, everyone's looking forward to visiting with you. They're not just hoping you'll help with the upgrades. They've missed you, too."

"It'll be nice to see them, too," agrees Wesley, watching as Picard slips his arm around Beverly's back. Wesley cannot help but notice how natural they seem together. To him, it's hard to imagine they had only been co-habitating one month. Perhaps the reason they are so comfortable together is because their friendship, so unnaturally intimate, had spanned decades.

"Let's go now," suggests Beverly spontaneously.

"Now?" Wes asks curiously.

"Yes!" Beverly bobs her head animatedly. "They'll be in Ten Forward. We should go."

Wes glances to Picard uncertainly, wondering how the captain would take the suggestion of an after-hours drink in the ship's social hot spot.

"Whatever you'd like, dear," smiles Picard easily, bringing his mug to his lips.

"I'll go change. I won't be long," Beverly tells them, rising to her feet with a pat to Jean-Luc's knee.

Watching his mother disappear to the bedroom, Wesley is left in bemusement. "You want to have a drink?"

"It matters not to me. I just enjoy being in your mother's company," admits Picard simply, a tiny smile in the corner of his lips. "And, she's absolutely thrilled to have you home. I'm glad you're here, as well."

Smiling, Wes nods. "Thank you for having me. You don't mind me staying here?"

"Certainly not," responds Picard with a light shrug. "If you'd prefer, we can arrange guest quarters. I know this wasn't what you had…anticipated."

"No, that's alright," replies Wesley with a measured breath. "If you don't mind, I'll stay."

Glancing over at the younger man seriously, Jean-Luc places his mug on the coffee table in front of him. "You can traverse this galaxy, the entire universe, Wesley. I want you to know, you'll always have a place here on the _Enterprise_. You can always come back home."

Staring across at the older man who had seen him through his adolescence and guided him into the man he is today, Wesley bobs his head, his lips curling into a smile. This is a new ship, with some new crew. Wesley is developing into a trained and skilled officer on the _Titan_. He is no longer the wide-eyed prodigy under Picard's tutelage. Now, his mother is contentedly engaged in a meaningful relationship with the man who had been a mentor and a father to him for over fifteen years. So much had changed over the decades. Given it all, Wesley is comforted in knowing that regardless of what happens, he will always be welcomed home.


End file.
